Asia
India’s delicate dance with the Taliban
The Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan has not yet been the nightmare scenario that some in New Delhi had feared. India finds itself in the peculiar position of now being…
This year, India leads the G20, Japan the G7, and together can make a potent team
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has declared India as “indispensable” to the vision of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”. This echoes former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s…
Philippines: The best friend for AUKUS in Southeast Asia
Almost two years since it was first announced, the AUKUS submarine deal between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States hasn’t been getting much love across Southeast…
A Catch-22 for India’s tech ambitions
The ongoing Russia–Ukraine war has induced several unexpected shifts in global geopolitical dynamics. While previously stagnant India–Russia trade has more than tripled in just…
North Korea: The state versus the people
In a crackdown on private enterprises, the North Korean state officially banned the sale of rice and corn in the market in early 2023 and restricted sales of these staples to…
AUKUS commits Australia to fight China if America does, simple
Defence Minister Richard Marles is sure that the AUKUS submarine deal does not commit Australia to support America in a war with China over Taiwan. He made the point in two…
Enter Cambodia’s Hun Manet
Among its 133 indicators, the Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index – an annual survey of the distribution of power in the region – tracks defence dialogues (the number of meetings…
Can ASEAN forge a political solution in Myanmar?
Since the military coup in February 2022, the people of Myanmar have been subjected to unrelenting violence including indiscriminate airstrikes, mass burning of villages,…
Could Indonesia legally stop transit by nuclear-powered AUKUS subs?
Indonesia, a nation that controls vital maritime chokepoints, finds itself at the epicentre of an unfolding geopolitical drama. As rivalry builds between the United States and…
Japan seeks an improved climate in relations with ASEAN
Japan has long been among ASEAN’s “most trusted” economic partners. Through tactful engagement, Tokyo helped ensure Southeast Asian states remained in the Trans-Pacific…